Monday, March 28, 2011

"3425. What makes a good theologian: 1. The grace of the Holy Spirit, 2. Torment of the soul, 3. Experience, 4. Appropriate to the circumstances, 5. Tireless reading [of Scripture], 6. Knowledge of good skills" (pp. 222)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

Monday, March 21, 2011

"6712. The Gospel is like a fresh, soft, cool breeze in the great heat of summer; that is, it is a comfort to the torment of the conscience; not during winter, when we already have enough of cold--that is a time of peace, when people feel secure and think to make themselves righteous and pious through their works--but in the great heat of the summer, that is in those who through fear and torment of their conscience really feel God's wrath against sin and weakness.

This heat is brought about by the sun; just as the fright of the conscience is brought about by preaching the Law and directed to the thought and observation that man has transgressed and opposed God's and no man's law. So we have the heavenly breeze to set our conscience straight, to refresh it and comfort it, not the comfort from certain human endeavors and works, but from the preaching of the Gospel.

But now that our strength is restored through the fresh air of the Gospel, we should not become complacent, lie around and snore. In other words, now that our conscience is at peace, quieted and consoled through God's Spirit, we should demonstrate our Faith with good works, which God has ordered and commanded in the Ten Commandments. Otherwise, we will be led astray and plagued by mosquitoes, flies, and ants, and so on, that is by the devil, the world, and our own flesh. But one must come through all that and not be led astray." (pp. 467-468)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.

To those who have been watching Bell as I have for the past ten years, his most recent departure from historic, orthodox Christianity is not surprising. In one sense, it is merely a repackaged form of classic Protestant Liberalism of the 19th and 20th centuries, freshly presented in a postmodern context. As such, H. Richard Niebuhr's insightful description of mid 20th century Protestant Liberalism fits Rob Bell quite well:

"A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross."

My strong encouragement is that if you are using ANY Rob Bell resources (including and especially his NOOMA) videos in your ministry, you stop doing so IMMEDIATELY. I do not think we want people being drawn in by his slick marketing and hipster presentation into his heretical footsteps.

Monday, March 14, 2011

"297. First, let us remember, that because of the fall of Adam, we were driven from paradise and became homeless and destitute. Second, let us think about the Son of God who shared our exile and brought us back to our Father's kingdom from which we had been expelled. Third, that we remember the lesson of this exile and that our homeland is not upon this earth [Philippians 3:20], but there will come another life, namely the eternal." (p. 209)

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.